Process for the manufacture of 4beta, 19-oxido-steroids



United States Patent 3,247,190 PttGfliSS FOR THE MANUFACTURE SF 4/3,19- GXIDO-STERUIDS Albert Wettstein, Riehen, Georg Anner, Karl Heuslcr, and Jaroslav Kalvoda, Basel, and Charles Meystre, Reinach, Basel-Land, Switzerland, assignors to 55m Corporation, New York, N.Y.., a corporation 0E Delaware No Drawing. Filed Sept. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 223,245 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Sept. 22, 19nd, 11,072/61; May 25, 1952, 6,358/62; Aug. 113, 1%2, 9,683/62; Aug. 28, 1962, 10,173/62 13 Claims. (Cl. 260--239.55)

Subject of the present invention is a process for the manufacture of 45,19-oxido-steroids starting from 19- unsubstituted 4B-hydroxy-steroids. Said oxide-steroids can be used, for example, for the preparation of important 19-nor-steroids (anabolic and progestative agents), such as derivatives of l9-nor-testosterone and l9-norprogesterone and the 3-desoxo derivatives thereof, e.-g. A -l 7fl-hydroxy-17a-ethinyl-l9-nor-androstene.

The process according to the present invention consists in reacting 19unsubstituted 4fi-hydroxy-5u-steroids with an oxidizing leadacylate in a solvent and, if desired, hydrolyzing and/or oxidizing the obtained 4,8,19-oxidosteroids.

The reaction occurring in the above said process may be represented, for example, by the following scheme of partial formulae:

in which formulae R represents two hydrogen atoms, a hydrogen atom together with an etherified or esterified hydroxyl group, or a ketalized oxo group and R stands .for a hydrogen or halogen atom or an etherified or esterified hydroxyl group, R and R taken together may also represent the radical of a dibasic acid or of a lower aliphatic or araliphatic diol.

As byproducts there are obtained BaBa-oxido-Sfisteroids, especially if starting materials are selected, which are unsubstituted in 3- and S-position. Such byproducts, however, can easily be separated, for example by chromatographic purification of the crude reaction product.

The starting materials for the present process are 4,8- hydroxy-compounds of the androstane, pregnane, cholane, cholestane, stigmastane, spirostane and cardanolide series, which may contain in the ring system, especially in one or more of the positions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, ll, 12, 14-, 15, 16, 17, and 21 further substitutents, such as ice free or functionally converted oxo groups, esterified or etherified hydroxyl groups, lower alkyl or alkenyl groups, e.g. methyl, ethyl, vinyl, or allyl groups, and/ or halogen atoms. Functionally converted oxo groups are lcctalized oxo groups or 0x0 groups converted into enol derivatives, e.g. enol ethers or enol esters. Furthermore the starting materials may contain double bonds or oxido groups for example in positions 9,11 and/or 16,17.

Valuable starting materials are, for example, such 4B-hydroxy-steroids which contain in position 3 and, if desired, also in position 5, the substitutents R and R as indicated above; such substituents are suitable for the formation of the a -3-oxo-grouping after opening of the 4B,19-oxido bridge. There are particularly to be mentioned derivatives of 3a,4[3,5oz-trihydroxy-steroids, such as cyclic carbonates, sulfites, acetonides or benzal compounds, or especially 3-esters and 3-ethers of 3,4[i-dihydroxy-Sa-halogeu-steroids or ketals of 3-oxo-4B-hydroxy- Sa-halOgen-steroids Specific starting materials are for example the following compounds: 3/3,17B-diacetoxyifi-hydroxy-androstane, 3,8,l-diacetoxy-4fi-hydroxy 17cc methyl-androstane, the 3,5-carbonate of the 3a,4fi,5a-trihydroxy-l7- oxo-androstane, 3,8,l7fi-diacetoxy-4,8-hydroxy-5wchloroandrostane, 3,8,17/3-diacetoxy-4Bhydroxy-5oi-bromo androstane, 3 5,17n-diacetoxy-4/3-hydroxy 50: ChlOrO-l7w methyl-androstane, 3 {3,176 diacetoxy 4,8 hydroxy 5c:- bromo-l7a-methyl-androstane, 35,20,6 diacetoxyifl hydroxy-5e-chloro-pregnane, 35,ZOfi-dipropionyloxy-4,8-hydroxy-Sa-bromo-pregnane, 3,6-acetoxy 4B hydroxy-Sachloro-ZO-oxopregnane or 3,8-acetoxy 4e hydroxy-5achloro-spirostane.

Especially important starting materials for the manufacture of 3-unsubstituted 4i-3,l9-oxido-steroids are, for example, the 3-unsubstituted 4B-hydroxy-steroids, such as 4,8-hydroxy-androstanes, which contain in 17-position an oxo group or an esterified or etherified hydroxyl group, cg. 4fi-hydroxy-5a-chloro-17-0xo-androstane, lfi-hydroxy- 17-oxo-androstane; l7'esters of the 4/3,17,8-dihydroxy- Son-chloroahdrostane and the 4,8,17fi-dihydroxy-andro' stane, such as the 17-acetate, l7-propionate or 17-benzoate, l'l-esters of the 45,17B-dihydroxy-17a-methyl-5achloro-androstane and 45,17,8-dihydroxy-17a-methyl-androstane. Said starting materials are known or, if new, can be prepared according to known methods. The 413- hydroxy-Sa-halogen-steroids can be prepared for example by adding on a hypohalogenons acid to the double bond of corresponding 4,5-unsaturated compounds. 4/s-hydroxy-steroids can also easily be prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding 4-ketones with a platinum catalyst in acidic solution, such as in glacial acetic acid, or by hydrolytic cleavage of 4,5-epoxides.

The oxidizing lead acylates, used in the process of the invention, are for example leadtetraacylates, of which the acid component is derived, for example, of a lower aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic, or aromatic carboxylic acid, such as acetic, propionic, trifiuoroacetic, hexahydrobenzoic, phenylacetic or benzoic acid. There can also be used dialkyl leaddiacylates, such as diethyl lead diacetate, or anhydrides of metal leadacid With the above carboxylic acids, such as diacetoxy-leadoxide.

The process according to the present invention can be performed, for example, by heating the starting material, if desired, in the presence of a weak inorganic or organic base, such, for example, as alkaline earth metal carbonates, e.g. calcium, barium or strontium carbonate, or tertiary amines, e.g. pyridine, with an excess of the oxidizing lead acylate, preferably in a non-polar solvent which is inert to the oxidative agent, for example to the boiling point of the latter, preferably to a temperature above 60, and isolating the desired 45,19-oxido-steroids according to known methods.

Particularly suitable solvents are aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, such as hexane, heptane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, dimethylcyelohexane or benzene. The requisite time of reaction usually depends on the temperature, preferably a reaction time of 4 to 20 hours is necessary.

If desired, the oxygenated C-19-methyl group of 19- unsubstituted 4 3,19-oxides can be further oxidized under more drastic conditions, which can be effected, for example, by using strong oxidation agents, such as ruthenium tetroxide or especially derivatives of hexavalent chromium, e.g. chromic acid or tertiary butyl chromate, in solvents, such as lower fatty acids, e.g. acetic or propionic acid, or chlorinated hydrocarbons, e.g. carbon tetrachloride, especially at an elevated temperature, such as between 50 and 100. There are obtained 4,8,19-lactones of 4B-hydroxy-steroid-19-acids. The latter may be reduced, for example according to the process of U.S. patent application Serial No. 180,029, filed March 15, 1962, by Albert Wettstein et 211., now U.S. Patent No. 3,165,-

511, with dialkyl-aluminumhydrides, such as diisobutyl aluminumhydride at low temperature. The reduction products are 4 3,19-oxido-19-hydroxy-cornpounds which are the cyclohemiacetals of iii-hydroxy-l9-oxo-steroids.

On the other hand, an acyloxy group present in a 4d, 19-oxide obtained by the present process, for example in position 3 and 17 or 20, can be hydrolyzed and the resulting hydroxy compound oxidized to a 3-ketone, 3,17-diketone or 3,20-diketone.

The 46,19-oxido steroids obtained according to the present invention can be transformed into pharmacologically active compounds, for example, as described in our U.S. patent application Serial No. 223,258, filed Sept. 12, 1962.

The compounds obtained according to the process of the present invention are especially saturated and unsaturated 4 3,19-oxid-steroids 0f the androstane and pregnane series such, for example, as 3-hydroxy-5ot-halogenor -hy droxy-4fl,19-oxido-androstanes and their esters, such as 3;3,17 3 dihydroxy-5ot-chloroor -bromo-4fl,19-oxido-androstane, 3fl-hydroxy-5a-chloroor -bromo-4fl,l9-oxido- 17 oxo androstane, 3,8,17/3-dihydroxy-5a-chloroor -bromo-4fi,19-oxido-17a-alkyl-, such as -methylor ethylandrostane, 3/3,l7/3-dihydroxy-5a-chloroor -bromo-4,6, l9-oxido-17a-alkenyl-androstanes, 35,17,8-dihydroxy 5achloroor -bromo-4B,19-oxido-17a-ethinyl androstane and the esters of these compounds, such as the 3,5-carbonate of the 3a,5a-dihydroxy-4 8,19-oxido-17-oxo-androstane. There are also to be mentioned the compounds which correspond to those mentioned above and have a 3-oxo group instead of the 3-hydroxy group and their esters and also the 3-unsubstituted 45,l9-oxido-androstanes, such as 45,19-oxid0-17fi-hydroxy-androstane, 4fi,19-oxido- 17B hydX'OXy-17tZ-II'ICIhYi-Z1Ildl'05t3l16 or 4,9,19-oxido-17- oxo-androstane, 418,19-oxido 50 halogen-androstanes, such as 4fi,l9-oxido-5a-chloroor -bromo-17-oxo-androstane, 4,6,19-oxido-5a-chloroor -bromo-17fi-hydroxyandrostane and the esters thereof. The present invention also comprises 3-hydroxy-5a-halogenor hydroxy-418,19- oxido-pregnanes and their esters, for example such as contain in 20-position a free or esterified hydroxyl group or free or ketalized oxo group, especially 313,20-dihydroxy- 5ot-chloroor -bromo-41S,19-oxido-pregnane, 3B-hydroxy- 5ot-chloroor -bromo-4i3,19-oxido-20-oxo-pregnane, 3Q- hydroxy-5a-chloroor -bromo-4fi,19,16,17ot-bis-oxid0-20- oxo-pregnane, 3B,17a-dihydroxy-5a-chloro or -brorno- 4B,19-oxido-20-oXo-pregnane and the esters thereof such, for example, as the 3,5-carbonate of the 3a,5 x-dihydroxyof the Formulae I and II i na in which R represents two hydrogen atoms, a hydrogen atom together with a free, esterified or etherified hydroxyl group, an oxo group or a lower alkylenedioxy group, R stands for a hydrogen or halogen atom or a free esterified or etherified hydroxyl group, R and R when taken together may also represent the radical of a dibasic acid or a lower aliphatic or araliphatie diol, R is an oxo group, a lower alklenedioxy group or a hydrogen atom or a lower aliphatic hydrocarbon radical, such as an alkyl, alkenyl or alkinyl group, together with a S -positioned free esterified or etherified hydroxyl group, X represents two hydrogen atoms or an oxo group, R stands for two hydrogen atoms, a hydrogen atom and a free or esterified hydroxyl group, or an oxo group, R is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or a free or esterified or etherified hydroxyl group, R and R when taken together may also represent the radical of a lower aliphatic or araliphatic diol, R and R are hydrogen atoms, or a free, esterified or etherified hydroxyl group and R represents a hydrogen atom together with a free or esterified hydroxyl group, an oxo group or a lower alkenedioxy group.

In the above mentioned esters the acyl radicals are especially such of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids with 1-15 carbon atoms, such as formic, methylor ethyl-carbonic, acetic, trifluoroacetic, propionic, butyric, trimethylaeetic, valeric,'caproic, enanthic, decanoic, hexahydro'benzoic, eyclopentylpropionic, phenylpropionic or furanecarboxylic acid.

Etherified hydroxyl groups are for instance lower alkyl oxy groups or the tetrahydro-pyranyloxy group.

The present invention also includes any variant of the present process in which only some of the process steps are carried out, if desired in a different order of succession, or in which an intermediate obtained at any stage of the process is used as starting material and any remaining steps are carried out.

The following examples illustrate the invention.

Example 1 500 mg. of 4p-hydroxy-17,6-propionyloxy-S e-androstane are added to a suspension, previously heated for a short time to C., of 5.0 grams of previously dried lead tetraacetate and 1.50 grams of calcium carbonate in ml. of cyclohexane. The reaction mixture is then refluxed for 16 hours, cooled, any inorganic constituents filtered oil, the filtrate washed with 50 ml. of potassium iodide solution of 10% strength and with 50 ml. of a sodium thiosulphate solution of 10% strength, dried and evaporated in a water-jet vacuum. There are obtained 490 mg. of a crystalline crude product which, according to the thin-layer chromatogram, consists of three components. The mixture is chromatographed on alumina (activity II) to yield 216 mg. of pure 418,19-oxido-17B propionyloxy-5a-androstane which, after being recrystallized from methanol, melts at 109-110" (3.; optical rotation [a] =-|2'2; in. the infrared spectrum there are absorption bands, inter alia at 5.78 8.37 1,, 926 9.66u, 9.82 s, 9.94u, 1002a and 11907.4. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum tallies with the above-mentioned structure of the compound. By further chromatography of the mother liquors on silica gel and subsequent crystallization of the corresponding fractions a further 130 mg. of the same product melting at 112-1l4 C., in addition to about of 4-oxo-17p propionyIoXy-Sa-androstane (M.P. 119-121 C.) and about of the amorphous 4a,9u oxido 17fi-propionyloxy-5B-androstene, are obtained.

The 4e-hydroxy-17'B-propionyloxy-5a-androstane used as starting material may be prepared as follows: 5.0 grams of A -17 3-propionyloxy-androstene are dissolved in 75 ml. of glacial acetic acid, reacted with 30' ml. of concentrated nitric acid and 3.0 grams of sodium nitrite and the resulting A -4-nitro-17,8-propionyloxy-androstene reduced, without purification, in 34 ml. of glacial acetic acid and 5 ml. of water with 10 grams ot zinc for 4 hours at 100 C. Chromatographic purification of the soob-tained crude product on alumina yields the pure Example 2 Using the same conditions as described in Example 1, from 1.0 gram of 4/8-hyd-roxy-5wbrorno-20fl-acetoxypregna-ne, there is obtained in addition to about 5% of 4 oxo 5a-bromo-20B-acetoxy-pregnane, 4,8,1'9-OXid0-5abromo-/8-acetoxy-pregnane in 65-70% yield which is reduced in 15 ml. of glacial acetic acid with 3 grams of zinc powder for 20 minutes at 50 C. without previous purification. The resulting crude A -l9-hydroxy-20fiacetoxy-pregnene is converted in a manner known per se by drastic oxidation with chromium (VI) oxide in glacial acetic acid, followed by basic hydrolysis and further oxidation, into l9-nor-progesterone melting at 143l45 C.

The 4p-hydroxy-5ot-bromo-20,B-acetoxy-pregnane used as starting material is prepared from A -3-oxo-20B-acetoxy-pregnene by reaction with ethylenedithioglycol, desulphurizing the resulting 3-thioketal with sodium in liquid ammonia, alfter acetylation, and additively combining hypobromous acid with the A -double bond by reaction with N-bromosuccinimide.

Example 3 500 mg. of 4 3,19-oxido-17fi-propionylo-xy-Sa-androstane are treated in 10 ml. of glacial acetic acid for 30 minutesat 90 C. with a solution of 700 mg. of chromium (VI) oxide in 0.7 ml. of water and 6 ml. of glacial acetic acid. The cooled reaction mixture is then diluted with Water and extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride solution is washed in succession with water, saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and with water, dried and evaporated at a water-jet vacuum. One recrystallization of the crude product from a mixture of methylene chloride and petroleum ether yields 210 mg. of pure 45,19-lactone of 4,8-hydroxy-17B-propionyloxy-5w androstane-l9-acid melting at 188190 (3.; optical rotation [a] =17.

Example 4 2.2 grams of previously dried lead tetraacetate, 700 mg. of barium carbonate and 200 mg. of 35,17B-diacetoxy- 4B-hydroxy-5a-chloro-androstane in 50 ml. of benzene are refluxed for 16 hours with stirring. The cooled reaction solution is then filtered, the residue washed with about ml. of benzene, the combined filtrates washed with a potassium iodide and sodium thiosulphate solution of 10% strength, dried and evaporated at a water-jet vacuum. The resulting crude product is chromatographed on thirty times its quantity of neutral alumina (activity 11), mg. of pure 3fi,l7fi-diacetoxy-4B,19- oxido-5-a-chloro-androstane being obtained (characteristic infrared bands inter alia at 578 728 815 971a and 9.90 1 A solution of the above compound is heated for 1 hour in 5 ml. of methanol and 1 ml. of water with 200 mg. of potassium hydroxide at 60 C. and is thereby converted into the crude 3,8,l7B-dihydro-xy-4l5,19-oxido Sa-chlOro-androstane which is obtained by precipitation with water from the cooled reaction solution. The lastmentioned compound (70 mg.) is dissolved in 4 ml. of acetone, Without previous purification, and treated at about 0 C. dropwise with 0.2 ml. of an 8 N-chromium (VI) oxide solution in sulphuric acid. After the same temperature has been maintained for 30 minutes, the reaction solution is diluted with 20 ml. of water and extracted With a mixture of ether and methylene chloride 1:1. The residue is washed neutral with water, sodium bicarbonate solution and again with water, dried with sodium sulphate and evaporated at a water-jet vacuum to yield 58 mg. of crude 3,l7-dioxo4fi,l9-oxido-5achloro-androstane (infrared bands inter alia at 5.87 and 7.25 1). The product is dissolved in 2 ml. of glacial acetic acid and, after the addition of 2 drops of water, reduced with stirring for 30 minutes at 100 C. with 800 mg. of zinc powder. The reaction solution is filtered off from the excess metal, diluted with methylene chloride, evaporated at a water-jet vacuum, the residue taken up in methylene chloride, Washed neutral with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and with water, the solution dried and evaporated. The crude product is recrystallized twice from a mixture of acetone and petroleum ether to yield 32 mg. of A -3,l7-dioxo-l9-hydroxyandrostene melting at 168172 C./180 C.

Example 5 100 mg. of 413,19-oxido-l7/3-propionyloxy-5a-androstane in 5 ml. of acetic anhydride are treated with mg. of para-toluene-sulphonic acid for 15 hours at 20 C. The reaction mixture is then worked up (by adding 5 grams of crystalline sodium acetate, pouring the reaction mixture on to :a mixture of ice and water, stirring the whole for 30 minutes, extracting with ether, washing the extracts neutral, drying and evaporating in vacuo) to yield 102 mg. of crude A*-19-acetoxy-l'lfi-propionyloxy-andros-tene. The above compound is reduced in a tetrahydrofuran solution with excess lithium aluminum hydride, A -l7,8,19-dihydroxy-androstene being isolated in practically quantitative yield. Without any further purification the so-ootained product is converted into the crude A -17-oxo-androstene-l9-acid by treating a solution thereof in 5 ml. of acetone at 5 C. with 0.6 ml. of 8 N-chromium (VI) oxide solution in sulphuric acid and subsequent working up. Slow distillation of the compound at a water-jet vacuum followed by chromatographic purification on alumina yield as starting material for the preparation of the highly active A --hydroxy-l9-nor-androstene and their esters the pure A -l7-oxo-l9-nor-androstene which is used as starting material for the preparation of the highly active A -17/3-hydroxy-l9-nor-androstenes and their esters which are optionally substituted in Uri-position by a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical.

What is claimed is:

1. Process for the manufacture of 4 8,l9-oxido-ster0ids selected from the group consisting of androstanes and pregnanes, wherein a corresponding 19-unsubstituted 4 3- hydrOXy-Sa-steroid is reacted with an acylate of tetravalent lead derived from a member selected from the group consisting of a lower aliphatic, lower cycloaliphatic, monocyclic carbocyclic aryl lower aliphatic and monocyclic carbocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid in an inert solvent.

2. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lead-tetraacylate is used as oxidizing leadacylate.

3. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a di-lower alkyl leaddiacylate is used as oxidizing leadacylate.

4. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a diacyloxyleadoxide is used as oxidizing leadacylate.

5. Process as claimed in claim 2, wherein leadtetraacetate is used.

6. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process is carried out in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of a weak inorganic base and a weak organic base.

7. Process as claimed in claim 6, wherein a member selected from the group consisting of an alkaline earth metal carbonate and a tertiary amine is used.

8. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a member selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon is used as inert solvent.

9. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature between 60 C. and 120 C.

10. Process according to claim 1, wherein the 19-unsubstituted 45,19-oxido-steroids obtained are oxidized with a member selected from the group consisting of ruthenium tetraoxide, chromium trioxide, chromic acid and tertiary butyl chromate.

11. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein androstanes of the formula are used as starting material, in which R represents a member selected from the group consisting of two hydrogen atoms, a hydrogen atom together with an etherified hydroxyl group, a hydrogen atom together with an esterified hydroxyl group and a ketalized oxo group, R stands for a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an etherified hydroxyl group and an esterified hydroxyl group, R and R taken together may also represent a hydrogen atom in the 3fl-position together with a member selected from the group consisting of carbonyldioxy, sulfinyldioxy, 2,2- propylidenedioxy and benzylidenedioxy, and R is a member selected from the group consisting of an x0 are used as starting material, in which R represents a member selected from the group consisting of two hydrogen atoms, a hydrogen atom together with an esterified hydroxyl group, a hydrogen atom together with an etherified hydroxyl group and a ketalized oxo group, R stands for a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an esterified hydroxyl group and an etherified hydroxyl group, R and R taken together may also represent a hydrogen atom in the 3B-position together with a member selected from the group consisting of carbonyldioxy, sulfinyldioxy, 2,2- propylidenedioxy and benzylidenedioxy, R stands for a member selected from the group consisting of two hydrogen atoms, a hydrogen atom together with an esterified hydroxyl group and an oxo group, R is a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an esterified hydroxyl group and an etherified hydroxyl group, R and R when taken together may also represent a member selected from the group consisting of an oxide group, 2,2-propylidenedioxy and benzylidenedioxy, each of R and R represents a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and an esterified hydroxyl group and R stands for a member selected from the group consisting of an oxo group, a ketalized 0x0 group and a hydrogen atom together with an esterified hydroxyl group.

13. A process for the production of 5u-halo-4B,l9- oxido-steroids selected from the group consisting of the androstane and pregnane series which comprises reacting the corresponding 5a-halo-4fi-hydroxy-l9-unsubstituted steroid with a lead tetraacylate in an inert non-polar solvent.

No references cited.

LEWIS GOTIS, Primary Examiner.

IRVING MARCUS, Examiner.

HENRY A. FRENCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF 4B,19-OXIDO-STEROIDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ANDROSTANES AND PREGNANES, WHEREIN A CORRESPONDING 19-UNSUBSTITUTED 4BHYDROXY-5A-STEROID IS REACTED WITH AN ACYLATE OF TETRAVALENT LEAD DERIVED FROM A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A LOWER ALIPHATIC, LOWER CYCLOALIPHATIC, MONOCYCLIC CARBOCYCLIC ARYL LOWER ALIPHATIC AND MONOCYCLIC CARBOCYCLIC AROMATIC CARBOXYLIC ACID IN AN INERT SOLVENT. 